UN anti-mine Envoy arrives today

The visiting Special Envoy of the Anti-personnel Mine Ban Convention Prince Mired Al-Hussein of Jordan will arrive in the island today and is expected to visit Muhamalai, Jaffna in the Northern province to inspect the on going demining projects during his visit here this week.

Prince Mired is the brother of Prince Zeid bin Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. While in North, the Special Envoy will also interact with agencies that clear mines and meet the landmine victims.

The Special Envoy is scheduled to deliver a lecture at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies on ‘The Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Landmines: Asia’s Opportunities and Challenges’ on Tuesday 6 March at 5.30 p.m. He will be touring the country from 5 – 7 March 2018 at the invitation of the Government of Sri Lanka.

Prince Mired will be accompanied by Rehabilitation and Resettlement Minister D.M Swaminathan during his field visit to the Northern Province. The Special Envoy will also call on President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana.

Prince Mired Raad Zeid Al-Hussein has served as the Chair of Jordan’s National Committee for Demining and Rehabilitation. After being appointed in 2009 as the Special Envoy to the Anti-personnel Mine Ban Convention, he has worked extensively with the UN and member countries to promote the banning of anti- personnel mines, worldwide.

Sri Lanka also took the lead on disarmament this week when it acceded to the Oslo Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) from March 1, 2018.

The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York deposited the instrument of accession to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

President Maithripala Sirisena, as the Minister of Defence, obtained the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to accede to the CCM also known as the Oslo Convention.

“Sri Lanka’s accession to the Convention is a reflection of the country’s recognition of the widespread and long-term impact of such weapons and their negative consequences for economic and social development, particularly in former conflict affected areas.”

“It also signifies Sri Lanka’s continuous commitment to multilateral efforts in the field of disarmament,” the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN said in a statement.